“Okay.”
Tom ran to the communications office and got in touch with the head of the New York State Police. After Tom told the chief the advisability of keeping information about the rocket a secret, he agreed to 124 TOM SWIFT AND HIS ROCKET SHIP
cooperate. His men would hunt for it, take care of Ames, and guard the fallen rocket ship from prying eyes until Tom could get there.
As the young scientist was about to leave, a plane and a high-powered speedboat arrived. The first contained the visitors from Shopton, while the boat discharged members of the Rocket Commission. All were thunderstruck to hear what had happened.
“Have you any idea what set off the rocket?” Mr. Swift asked his son, taking him aside.
“Ames might have started the flight tape accidentally,” Tom replied. “But the odds certainly are against that.”
“Could it have gone off by itself?” the older inventor suggested. “I thought the safety devices were foolproof.”
“They were foolproof,” Tom replied in a steady voice, “and errorproof too, but they weren’t quite fiendprooil”
He took a step closer to his father and said quietly, “The rocket didn’t take off because we made any mistake. I’m sure of that. This was a cold-blooded attempt on our lives. I can’t be sure how it was done until we can examine the rocket, or talk to Ames-it may be we’ll never know. But one of Rotzog’s men may have contaminated the alcohol fuel. Or he may have short-circuited the ignition system by remote control, since it’s operated electronically.”
“That’s no doubt the answer,” Mr. Swift agreed. “And it’s most unfortunate, but I’m confident that Rotzog won’t defeat you.”